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Unicef Safe Co-sleeping Guidelines

Hello everyone,

As a co-sleeping mum I am sometimes questioned as to why I co-sleep and whether it is safe to do so. I believe that co-sleeping can be safe as long as it is planned and certain guidelines are followed. I thought I would share the Unicef Safe Co-sleeping guidelines here as I have found it to be a useful resource for co-sleeping mums.

Research has shown that it is safer for the baby to sleep between the mum and the edge of the bed (which should be made safe from rolling babies e.g. by using a side-car cot or a bed guard or having the bed against the wall). Mums (particularly breastfeeding mums) have a sleep pattern which is in tune with their baby. Dads, however, tend to sleep more heavily. A breastfeeding mum will often wake just before their baby wakes for a feed.

Safe co-sleeping is always in a bed, never on the sofa (where babies can easily slide down the gaps of the sofa). Co-sleeping has been found to be unsafe if either parent is obese or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The bed should also be made safe for co-sleeping by keeping pillows and duvets away from the baby (a cellular blanket is best as the baby can easily breathe through this).

When you have set up your sleeping arrangements for safe co-sleeping then you will be able to relax with your baby in bed.

As to why co-sleep: this article entitles Co-sleeping, is it part of bonding really summarises how I feel on this topic. In short, it means I sleep and my baby sleeps. And that means we are both happy. Also, I love the cuddles and I feel co-sleeping enables me to breastfeed for as long as my baby wants.

Wishing you wonderful nights of cuddly breastfeeding bliss (well, most of the time!),

I am also a co-sleeping Mum. I am self employed and although I work from home, I have a Nanny three and a half days and work hard to sustain us. I love the cuddles (and the sleep!) that co-sleeping brings. I believe that in a hectic life, co-sleeping gives back to me and my baby time together which would otherwise be lost.

No matter how busy the day or how little time we actually spend together in it, there is the constancy of those first cuddles and whispered 'good mornings' at the start of the day and the bliss of falling asleep with a tiny arm hand resting on my shoulder. This provides reassuring poles for my child which I believe she can anchor herself too.

Your comments made me reflect on how central co-sleeping has become to my families daily (or should I say nightly) life. Right now, I cannot imagine going to bed without cuddling up to one of my warm snuggly, sleeping boys; and sharing the first smiles of the day together as we wake after a happy night's sleep.